Could not initialize Photoshop because the disk is not available

"Disk is not available"?! Not only was Photoshop sidelined, Illustrator was out of service as well. The two applications seem to sing the same note when it comes to not working as expected.

Not the best feeling in the world. The initial reaction was "is there something wrong with my hardrive?" Naturally, the first thing to do is to launch Disk Utility to verify & repair permissions. The second step is to restart the computer with the original install DVD to verify the disk. In my case, both steps reported no issues.

What disk is Photoshop trying to initialize?

The "disk" that Photoshop initializes on startup is the scratch disk - otherwise known as virtual memory. Think of it as the applications reserves / backup for processing your giant layers. Without it, the application will fail to function properly.

Photoshops inability to initialize the scratch disk can be caused by any number of reasons including: operating system updates, hardware re-configurations, or in my case sheer luck. One morning it’s working, the subsequent afternoon it’s not.

What won’t fix the problem #1

One of the finer features of OS X is the simplicity of uninstalling applications. For the most part, removing applications means dragging icons directly into the trash can (and removing a folder or file from /Library/Application Support). Adobe products are a whole ‘nother beast with multiple folders and nested items installed here and there. Even if you use Adobe’s included Creative Suite uninstaller, remnants of Adobe are still buried on your hardrive.

I used the Creative Suite uninstaller, repaired permissions, then restarted and re-installed CS3. The "failed to initialize" disk error persisted. FAIL.

What won’t fix the problem #2

I tried again. This time, I ran the the uninstaller then manually searched out any folder or file [left behind] that shared any association with Adobe. Once completed, I repaired permissions and restarted before re-installed the CS3. Same result - failed to initialize the disk. FAIL.

Damaged hidden Photoshop preference?

I was irritated beyond belief. Photoshop failed to initialize the disk under my own user account, but functioned properly under any other user accounts I created and tested. I was very much against flattening my hardrive just for Adobe. Re-formatting is generally reserved for a toasted developed environment or serious OS issues.

What will fix the problem #1

A complete reformat will definitely do the trick. Flatten your disk, re-install OS X, then re-install your Adobe products. 3-4 hours later, you’ll be up and running like nothing ever happened. Personally, I prefer something that doesn’t require me sitting through a boring installation and relocating GB’s of data from a backup to a clean install.

What will fix the problem #2

Although this option does require a little more shuffling, it works and will save you hours of time waiting for an OS installation and backup transferring. Note that the directions will differ for pre-Leopard users (see this KB Article).

• Backup your hardrive - use SuperDuper or CCC.
• Ensure that you have the root account enabled.
• Log-out of your current account and log-in as root.
• Open System Preferences > Accounts and delete your main user account (Photoshop FAIL).
• 10.5 offers the option to save the User folder as 1) a disk image, 2) retain on the the hardrive under Users, or 3) remove completely. Select to keep the folder locally.
• Open the Finder and navigate to the Users folder. Open the folder and you will notice your previous Home directory appended with the word "deleted".
• Rename the directory - removing the word "deleted".
• Return to System Preferences > Accounts and create a new Administrator account with a shortname which matches your previous (remember you removed the word "deleted").
• OS X will notify you that a folder with the same name already exists and prompt you asking if you want to keep the existing. Select to keep.
• Log-out as root and back in as your original account and Photoshop should work as it should.

Visit the original Adobe Forums thread for more info. A headache, but definitely more convenient then having to wipe the disk clean for an OS re-install.

Related Adobe note. I have the Adobe CS3 Master Collection installed on an iMac. All of the Adobe tools at my finger tips - quite convenient. All is well until the Adobe Updater launches notifying me of a new Illustrator 11.0.3 update. The updater successfully downloads the update, but fails to complete the install recommending that I uninstall and then re-install the entire Master Suite. Um, no thanks. Your update can’t be that important Adobe. Who wants to wait 1+ hrs. for a re-install when the suite functions as expected? Why can’t expensive software just work?

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Case in point, Belkin’s latest Mini Surge / USB Charger ($20-$25) which provides protection for three AC and two USB powered devices.

The compact surge protector / charger is small and lightweight allowing it to fit nicely inside any of your bags. Because some wall outlets are not conveniently accessible to accommodate such a surge protector with multiple adapters of varying sizes connected, the device can pivot 360 degrees at 90 degree increments.

At home, I rely on a few PowerSquid surge protectors spread throughout the apartment for power. With the Belkin Mini Surge / USB Charger, I can extend the same safety at home to the corner coffee shop, hotel, or any other venue where I might need some extra juice. Are you regularly protecting your electronic devices with a surge protector?

PROS: A small footprint keeps this surge protector one of the lightest and smallest multi-adapter / device unit on the market. 3 AC & 2 USB ports means I can charge up to two laptops, a camera charger, and two cellphones at the same time safely. $75,000 warranty / protection from Belkin in the event of damage while using the adapter.

CONS: AC ports are not designed for wide [horizontal] plugs. Button lock for rotating plug can be difficult to press (unlock). Multiple heavy adapters will pull this mini surge protector off the wall.

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Facebook isn’t always fun, drinks, and after-the-fact sober did I really do that’s. More mature [serious] activity on Facebook can be found by browsing noteworthy causes, awareness groups, or online political campaigns. Facebook Groups and Applications have matured to embrace every facet of a users in-person and online life with the exception of bridging the fun & games with "simple" projects and really simple collaboration.

A tool set combination not offered by Facebook

How do you organize everything you need to move in with new roomates, plan a trip for Summer break, or throw a surprise birthday party with friends on Facebook? Using the Facebook Events or Groups tool, your options are limited to:

• Event Info: Name, Tagline, Host, and Type
• Time, place, and location
• Contact tracking - who is showing up (RSVP)
• Interaction: Posts, Videos, Photos, and Wall (messaging)
• Discussions

Great basic features that allow you to plan, invite, and broadcast an event. But beyond getting this event out into the public, how do you manage the minor details? How do you get Sylvia to bring the deviled eggs, Marise the party favors, and Marisa the water balloons and squirt guns for the BBQ in two weeks? You could use Facebook Events and include all that info in the description, but the small important details are easily overlooked.

Your Graduation, party, BBQ, Summer trip, and everything in between

Go ahead, keep browsing Facebook profiles. It’s OK. With the Get Stuff Done application, you can justify your long sessions with "but I’m working / organizing / planning something". Go beyond the basic Event and really Get Stuff Done.

Get Stuff Done lets you have fun doing things with people in your network. For anything you want to get done together, you can easily create a space to share files, create lists, assign to-dos, post messages, and see what happened while you were offline. It lets you go beyond group formation, and actually lets you do stuff together.

Why not leverage an existing network that most of your friends spend their day on to coordinate and work together on birthday plans, Graduation celebration, Summer trip, or a school or office project?

Simple

Get Stuff Done offers a set of simple tools in a single interface to easily create and manage projects without becoming overwhelmed. Install the application and begin by creating your own generic project, or elect to choose one of many pre-populated projects like a bachelor / bachelorette party, birthday celebration, group event / activity, or group vacation.

A familiar Activity Feed consolidates all project activity including task tracking, new file uploads, inclusion of new members, and comments. In addition to notifying members here, updates are pushed to your public network (controlled by permissions) and via email.

A feature rich To-Do list allows you to create tasks for yourself or to assign to everyone / others with robust details like a start date, due date, and comments. Even if a task is not assigned to you, you can add your own comments. You know, just in case someone else is assigned with the task of picking up drinks, you can leave your requests in the task comments.

Planning on moving with some roommates? Collect your apartment hunt photographs, consolidated rent Excel sheets, and renters agreements documents in a single, easy to access repository. Shared Files can help. Upload any file you deem worthy of sharing with your project team and add comments when necessary. Movies, music, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint presentations. 10 MB / file limit, 10 files per upload. At this time, files can only be uploaded or downloaded - no online playback or viewing.

Continue working together directly from your personal profile. Visitors will see what you’re working on, and are welcome to contribute (if the project is public), or request an invite (if the project is invite only). Additional project updates - newly created, newly invited, the creation of tasks, completion of tasks, comments, and file uploads - are pushed to the Facebook News Feed, your mini-feed, and your email inbox.

Try it out and share your thoughts

I invite you to join me on Facebook and to check out the Get Stuff Done Application. Try it out and see if the application offers you and your network the right [simple] tools to work together through Facebook. Get Stuff Done is considered an early beta. Note: I did contribute to the Get Stuff Done project.

How do you use Facebook? Do you think simple productivity tools will gain significant traction? Are you open to collaborating via applications like Get Stuff Done on Facebook, or is the service strictly for play? [Digg this]

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Get the supplies, hardware, and tools

Requirements (or highly recommended items): OE Audi S6 driving lights acquired direct through Audi or online, Audi S6 LED harness, jack + suitable jack-stand(s), electrical connectors + tools, electrical tape, thin metal strips for custom brackets + hardware, Dremel + cutting tools, hex and torx bit set(s), and a second set of hands.

Front & lower grill removal

Start with the two lower grills. Mark the bottom edge of the last horizontal grill on each side. This will be the highest that you are allowed to cut (for bottom placement). Both are secured with two philips screws closest to the aluminum center grill. Once these are removed apply pressure near the top of the grill to unclip then pull straight out.

The center aluminum pieces slides off just as easy assuming you remove two screws from the top under the hood, two behind your license plate frame (towards the outer edges), and two (on each side) which are exposed once the lower grill pieces are removed.

Before moving on to the bumper delete, you’ll want to disconnect the headlight washers from the bumper cover pieces. Do this by prying the bottom edges up to slip your fingers underneath. The washers slide out at ~45 degree angle. Unclip the covers and lay them to the side.

Bumper removal

Now comes everyones favorite part locating all the necessary screws to loosen and put aside. Start underneath the front of the vehicle and locate the two screws in directly underneath the middle of the bumper. Follow that with three screws on the underside (left & right). Then, remove three screws from the front edges of the wheel wells. The final two screws are at the top of the bumper piece behind where the aluminum grill used to be. With a second set of hands, the bumper will now slide straight off.

Before excitedly removing the bumper completely, unclip and unscrew the headlight washers from the bumper. You’ll notice that a single hose feeds both washers [which is also secured in place with metal clips.

With the front bumper removed, you’ll have one naked looking MkV R32.

Bumper trim + brackets

This next step requires a little more trial and error. Because the S6 LEDs are not a direct drop in solution for any Volkswagen, the process of fitting requires patience and small passes with a Dremel cutting disk. The process was tedious - a combination of cut and test fit, cut and test fit. Using the last horizontal edge of the lower grills as guides, I marked the lowers with a pen to give me a rough idea of where to cut.

Once both sides had been trimmed down enough to fit the LEDs, Kevin cut and bent a set of brackets to secure the lights do the bumper.

Electrical, wire as fogs or tap sidemarkers

Because I had already deleted my North American sidemarkers, I had a set of previously used harnesses to tap for power. Unfortunately, because the LEDs were not plug ‘n play, I simply snipped the sidemarker harness and reconnected with to the OE Audi S6 harnesses. Remember, brown is ground.

Some individuals might decide to run the Audi harness directly to the fuse box and reprogram their light switch in order for the LEDs to act as fogs, I chose to reuse the sidemarker wires allowing me to run the lights full time or as parking lights.

Final results

With the lights properly tested and wiring secured, it was time to re-assemble the front end of the vehicle. The end result was well worth the frustration and sore finger tips. I imagine the total cost had I commissioned a body shop to install the lights would have been in excess of $400.

Thanks Kevin for providing the second set of hands to tear everything apart and for the metal brackets. Also, thank you Syl for driving over to drop off the electrical tape! I don’t know how I managed to forget that.

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I hope that the theme is enjoyed and will serve as the foundation for future WordPress driven blogs. Please read through the details below before downloading and installing.

Screenshot

Note, the publicly available download is a modification of a personal project

Download

Known to be compatible with WordPress 2.3+ (including 2.5 RC2). If you are running an older version of WordPress, please, stop what you are doing and upgrade! To install, download and unzip the unstandard directory and upload to wp-content/themes.

The Unstandard - Version 0.1

Search bar graphic - Zipped Photoshop (PSD) file

If you find this theme download helpful, consider a small donation which will be put towards a flat of Rockstar or Haribo Gummi Bears.

Instructions

The theme requires the use of WordPress custom fields in order to display the lead and secondary images displayed on the home page, index, and search results.

• Create a 593px x 225px lead graphic. While composing an article, create a new ‘key’ under Custom Fields titled lead_image. For the corresponding value, paste the direct URL to the hosted image
• Create a 293px x 150px secondary graphic. Create a second ‘key’ titled secondary_image and paste the direct URL to the hosted image in the ‘value’ field.
• Posts that do not have a lead_image or secondary_image included will serve a plain grey box. As time consuming as it may be, it might be worthwhile to go through your archives to include images for your popular posts.

Reference screenshot if the directions above are not clear.

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Fortunately, this past Valentines Day Sylvia tried to surprise me with a Threadless edition Blik surface graphic - Stone Jungle. I say tried because when I pick up a package in the mail room with Blik stickers covering the shipping tube, it’s a sure giveaway of what lies within. Thanks Syl, the wall art is definitely what the apartment was missing! It sure would have been funny if you had followed through with your plans to try and install it yourself before I woke up.

You can’t go wrong with temporary surface graphics

The beauty of vinyl wall graphics is that they are only as permanent as you want them to be. If you ever grow tiresome of looking at the same graphic, or it comes time to move, the graphic can be peeled off without leaving any type of residue or trace. Perfect for your leased apartment, townhouse, or dorm room.

Blik ships the surface graphics in a sturdy cardboard shipping tube with a sticker affixed to the outside reading "paint with stickers". Fitting tagline. Stone Jungle arrived as two large pieces on transfer paper - each half measuring 72" by 20".

Smooth and easy installation, if your wall is perfectly smooth

Judging by the included install tips and short videos found online, the installation should have been a breeze. It wasn’t. There were two reasons which contributed to a difficult install: 1) each graphic was 72" wide, and 2) the walls in the apartment were not perfectly smooth. As hard as we tried, getting the 72" surface graphic to transfer smoothly without one side falling off the wall proved to be a tricky process.

How to simplify the process? Syl recommended I cut the 72" graphic into much more manageable ~12" portions. Installation now involved a high degree of patience and determination that a chopstick wielding master attempting to capture flies would have.

An unconventional installation not documented by Blik but definitely makes the process easier for walls that are not smooth. Check out Blik for some great surface graphics. Some of my favorites are all of the Threadless specials, 8-BIT, and Bamboo.

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In preparation for a Volkswagen enthusiasts gathering, Phil snagged some footage of the car and edited the clips into a short teaser video above. FYI, the song playing in the background is "This Language" by Stateless.

philming by kevnwin

If you are in the area and want to drop by, let me know in the comments or check out the Upcoming invite.

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Create a db-error.php file in /wp-content/

First things first. Create an XHTML file called db-error.php and upload it to the WordPress /wp-content/ directory.

Because visitors will see this page when your WordPress driven website is experiencing database connection errors, you will need to make sure the file includes any style attributes inline, or reference an external stylesheet (absolute URL).

<style type="text/css">...your CSS goes here...</style>

or

<link href="http://url.com/my-stylesheet.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css">

For the sake of simplicity, we’ll create a custom database error page with a single XHTML document including any style attributes inside the <head> tags. The following is the message skeleton originally created and used in the tutorial here.

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<head profile="http://gmpg.org/xfn/11">
<title>My server crashed, please call the next of kin</title>
<style type="text/css">
body {
font-family: arial, verdana, sans-serif;
font-size: 62.5%;
background: #fff;
color: #333;
text-align: center;
}
a {
text-decoration: none;
outline: none;
}
#error_wrapper {
font-size: 1.3em;
margin: 5em auto 0;
text-align: left;
width: 333px;
}
.content_wrapper {
padding: 1em 0.7em 0;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<div id="error_wrapper">
<div class="content_wrapper">
<p>It looks as though my server has taken an unsupervised leave of absence. I may not know of its whereabouts so would you be so kind as to notify me via <a href="mailto:admin@domain.com" title="Send me an email">email</a>?</p>
</div>
</div>
</body>
</html>

Second step, there is none

If you created a standard XHTML document and dropped the code in db-error.php inside the /wp-content directory, there really isn’t anything else to do other than to ensure that your site visitors never see a WordPress database error page while visiting your site.

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I moved again. This time, it wasn’t as significant as the last. This time, it was simply across the hall; a mere 6 ft. away [from door to door] from 650 sq. ft to 1325 sq. ft. For the most part, the move has been positive. Aside from the fact that my lower back is somewhat sore from moving a couch, massive television stand, and other assorted heaviness on my own, I can relax with my feet up knowing that the apartment move is about 95% done.

What’s a new home without reliable internet?

Approximately 8 months ago, as I prepared to move into my current apartment building, I investigated my internet service options. At the time, I was limited to three service providers: 1) Millenium Digital now known as Broadstripe, 2) Clearwire, or 3) Qwest. Not wanting cable, and after receiving numerous comments concerning Cleawire, I decided to sign up for Qwest. With a 7 Mbit DSL plan, I was averaging roughly 5.8 down and 600 up. Not at all shabby for a few different laptops, audio streaming, and some XBox action.

Without any plan changes, I am now sitting here with a connection that is 350 kb/s down and 305 kb/s up. Two service techs later, my 7 Mbit line is still approximately 350 kb/s & 305 kb/s. Knowing that there are many variables that may have an affect on connection quality, I contacted Qwest support again looking for any news of network outages or slowdowns. None reported. Technical support troubleshooting time (note that I had already power cycled the modem numerous times):

• How are you connecting your computer to the internet? Phone line between the wall jack and the Actiontec DSL modem. This is an internet-only plan.
• Are there any phone line filters setup for your telephone? Again, no telephone. DSL line only.
• Will you try connecting your modem to another phone line in the apartment? Sure. Slow internet persists.
• Is your phone cord wound up? …

I requested that my service be disconnected but the representative insisted I wait until a third tech properly checked my connection. Properly, as in the first two techs were obviously poking the wrong wires in the switch room.

DSL, Qwest vs. Speakeasy

I’m ready to jump ship. Fortunately, I am not locked into some type of yearlong commitment with Qwest - my account simply switched from one unit to the next. Shoddy customer service is unavoidable, by what I’ve experienced thus far has transformed my feelings about Qwest overnight. Are you using Qwest DSL for your internet service? What are your thoughts? Speakeasy recently started offering service to my apartment building and am seriously considering a switch. For the price, I would sacrifice speed for reliability. A worthwhile trade-off if performance is consistent. My office uses Speakeasy and has had no issues whatsoever.

Qwest vs. Speakeasy. What do you think?

Other move related news

Syl and I were up until 4am last night after taking Boo to a 24-hour emergency veterinary hospital. Nothing says sick puppy like nightmarish vomiting without warning. Dogs Flu. Yay! Not only did Boo vomit on the couch in two separate areas, she managed to project throw up [what looked like something that came out the wrong side] all over the back of the passenger seat in my car.

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While I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience of GPS aided driving thus far, I have been a little disappointed by the fact that I am not able to download travel information & data - ideal for long road trips [from devices like the Garmin]. Fortunately, Rob from LandAirSea got in touch and provided the LAS Tracking Key.

The overall appearance of the device is simplistic; an unmarked oversized USB thumbdrive with the words "This side up" etched on one side. The strong magnet on the opposite immediately adds to the mystery of the device. What is it? What does it do? What can I use it for? And, how well does it work?

The LandAirSea Tracking Key is not your average GPS receiver

Powered by the U-Blox RCB-4H Antaris 4 GPS board, AirLandSea’s Tracking Key is a low power consumption GPS receiver with SuperSense - ideal for scenarios with low satellite signal.

Building interiors, airports, shopping malls, train stations and other places with obstructed views to the sky are a key challenge for uninterrupted GPS signal reception and for accurate position calculations. Under these challenging conditions, the GPS receiver must be able to detect the weakest signals perceivable in places with no direct views to satellites.

Unlike your standard automobile / portable GPS device, the LandAirSea Tracking Key is not interactive - meaning that the device is just a receiver. On its own, it will not direct you through an alternative route - like a TomTom - and will not guide you when you are lost - like a Garmin. The Tracking Key is a GPS based tracking device.

Although the Tracking Key may not have a screen or buttons to press, its basic design does do one thing well - tracking. Using GPS / A-GPS (Assisted GPS) technology, ALS’s Tracking Key can pinpoint and amass a significant amount of data for later processing using applications like Google Earth.

Real world case scenario usage

With obvious applications for use in both the Military and Law Enforcement sectors, the Tracking Key may raise privacy concerns in the eyes of the average consumer. However, the Tracking Key has real world usefulness. Consider parents with children unfettered by repeated requests to return home before curfew (where are they really going?), managers who need accurate travel and mileage details for company vehicles, road trip warriors, or worrisome automobile owners who suspect their vehicle is being abused by a spouse, child, relative, or valet driver?

• Logs data, including speed, which can then be plotted out on virtual maps with software like Google Earth.
• Runs on 2 AAA batteries for up to 2 weeks of tracking (varies based on number of hours driven per day).
• Daily reports including overall driving activity, maximum speed, and miles driven.
• Fantastic device for use on long road trips or group outings. With rich Google Maps in Google Earth, you can use stored data to tag important locations or stops.
• Great for tracking where your child actually goes vs. where they said they were going.

Security and peace of mind knowing where your vehicle has been driven, how fast, and for how long with stop " go milestones.

LandAirSea Tracking Key is designed to track vehicles

The GPS Tracking Key is roughly the size of a big pack of Juicy Fruit gum. Shrouded in a veil of mystery, the plain black casing is marred only by engraved letters reading "This side up" and a strong magnet. After a brief perusal of the thin user guide, you immediately understand what the device was made for - discrete GPS tracking.

Because of its small size, discrete color, and rear facing magnet, the device can be stowed away in any number of locations ranging from the underside of a vehicle, within the front / rear bumper, rear trunk, front glove box, or underneath a driver / passenger seat. The included LandAirSea Tracing Key documentation explains the effectiveness of the device based on placement outside or within the vehicle.

Both the battery compartment - secured with four screws - and USB port receive protection from water & dirt with silicone seals. Two small LEDs inform the user of sufficient battery power & satellite activity.

Interacting with Tracking Key data results

The Tracking Key includes Windows-only software called Past Track which allows users to manage and interact with data collected by their GPS vehicle tracking receiver.

From within Past Track, users can view data using the included US Maps software:

Or, download Google Earth (free) and view imported data:

Both methods overlay vehicle activity atop your choice of mapping software. With the added benefit of creating interactive maps - placemarks & image overlays - with Google Earth, owners can re-create detailed maps using logged data.

LandAirSea Tracking Key - closing thoughts

The LandAirSea Tracking Key works extremely well as a GPS tracking device. Once placed within the vehicle, the Tracking Key was completely transparent tracking my vehicles every move. It was almost jaw dropping to see a 2 days of driving history quickly plotted out in Google Earth.

• Discrete and effective. Once placed inside the vehicle, you forget it is present and tracking. Great at creating detailed stop & go travel history.
• Laptop users will need to a) purchase a USB extension cable, or b) slide part of their computer off the edge of the table a little bit in order to plug the device in.
• Great battery life using 2 AAA batteries. Would a little better if the device was rechargeable via USB.
• Mac OS support is not yet available.

Privacy advocates should know that data logged by the LandAirSea Tracking Key is not transmitted externally and is available for your own personal use. The $299 LandAirSea automobile Tracking Key can be ordered direct from the manufacturer. What are your thoughts on personal GPS tracking devices for security, peace of mind, or leisure? [Digg this].

LandAirSea Tracking Key helps solve murder case

Thanks to Alan on the tip concerning the YouTube clip above exemplifying the usefulness of the LandAirSea GPS Tracking Key.

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